Star Skellington's Christmas Wish
by S. Snowflake
Summary: Jack and Sally's eldest child can't seem to scare a soul but loves yuletide cheer. Like her father, she wishes to experience the holiday, but what happens when some Christmas magic makes her greatest wish a reality? Short, sweet and simple with love.
1. Chapter 1

**_Star Skellington's Christmas Wish_**

**-By Laura L.**

**Author's Note:** After more than eight months in progress, I'm proud to unveil the story of my most dear of original characters: Star Skellington. I made a little drawing last Thanksgiving at Disneyland of the child of Jack and Sally Skellington with a Santa cap that was too big for her tiny skeleton head, and soon I became inspired to give that character her own story. One that, I hope, will find its way into the hearts of those who stumble upon this story as much as it, (and Star herself) have burrowed into my heart. I have my little sister Franki to thank for keeping me motivated on this project and helping me add so much that I was missing, a friend on this site named Taylor Moore who showed interest in this story as well as in my "Little Shop of Horrors" fictions, and a friend from named ghostwolf13 who has been excited about this project since I first mentioned it. Most of all I'd like to thank my Grandmother who was my idol as a writer throughout the fourteen years that she was part of my life, just as she is now in heaven.

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**Chapter 1**

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Once upon a time in the land of Halloween, there was a Pumpkin King named Jack Skellington and his rag doll queen Sally. They loved each other dearly and were overjoyed when they at last had their first child, a little skeleton girl they named Star. All throughout Halloweenland that day there was demented celebration, for one day their tender lumpling would become the new ruler of Halloween.

But things didn't go exactly the way that the Halloween townspeople planned, for Star grew to be just little _different_. Though she looked ghastly with her skeleton body, ragged reddish brown hair, and large gaping eye sockets, Star wasn't really a very scary monster at all, which was strange from her royally terrifying ancestry. She was considered so odd in fact, that the townspeople often murmured things like: "There's something wrong with that girl" or "What must her family think?" when she waved or walked by them.

And indeed it seemed that something was wrong with Star. Both her siblings that came after her were true heirs to Halloween. Her little brother Tim could contort his face like a freak show attraction and her baby sister Noel could scream louder and more sharply than a blow horn, but she could barely make a frightening glance or rattle ghostly chains to tingle the spines and chill the bones of little children on Halloween night.

Poor Star always felt separate from the rest of her kind without even a tiny shred of terror in her soul, but deep in Star's undead heart lived a secret that she would never admit: that she loved Christmas more than anything in the world. The light and warmth of the holiday was the most beautiful thought to her in the world of thrills and chills that she had been raised in.

Jack and Sally were the only ones who knew of Star's differences, but they still loved her more than all of Halloween itself, and always tried to give her words of guidance.

"You are not strange Star, you're our daughter and that's all that matters to us." Jack often said to her.

"Don't listen to what the other monsters say about you, my darling." Sally would tell her. "They can only see what you lack, but we can see everything that you are."

Star didn't quite understand what her mother and father meant in those words, but in some small way it made her feel better.

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	2. Chapter 2

**_Star Skellington's Christmas Wish_**

**Chapter 2**

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It was one blustery Christmas Eve when Star was around six years old when she walked all the way to the distant Pumpkin Patch to play by herself. The Pumpkin Patch was the only safe haven that Star could express her peculiar personality away from the disapproving eyes of Halloween Town. Today she was, as usual, imagining Christmas Town and all the wonderful yuletide things she had heard about but never seen.

"Christmas Town." She whispered dreamily as she thought of all the snow, lights, candy, and of course, Sandy Claws himself. Her father had been to Christmas Town once, and he told Star that it was the most amazing place he had ever seen; lights, sounds, and holiday cheer abound. Star dreamed to go there one day and see it all for herself.

As Star thought of Christmas Town, little white snowflakes began to fall from the cloudy sky above her. She gazed at the snowfall with wide and dreamy eye sockets. Snow was rare in Halloween Town and Christmas snow was even more special, for it was said in a yuletide tale that a wish made upon a Christmas snowflake will come true for those with the purest of heart. Like magic, a large flake landed silently in Star's hand like a bird on a perch. It sat there not melting away or leaving with the wind, as if it were waiting for something. Star, remembering the story of the snowflake wish and looking deep into her heart, clutched the snowflake in her skeleton hand and knew exactly what to wish for and whispered her wish.

"I wish to go to…Christmas Town."

And as quickly as Star had held it, the wind took the snowflake away again. Back into the flurry of white it flew, swirling round and round 'til at last it was out of sight, leaving Star Skellington alone again to wonder if the her wish would come true. Star frowned sadly, believing that there was no chance of her wish ever being granted, but just as she was about to head for home the wind and snow picked up ferociously. Trapped in a frozen flurry, Star tried to fight back the ice and snow that pelted her face. She cried out for help, but nobody answered her calls. Try as she might, the snow seemed to only spin around her faster and more wildly every moment.

By the time the snowflakes had at last stopped their fury, the storm had swept her away, far from Halloween Town.

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When Star had finally reached her destination, she was too afraid to open her eyes. She heard noises around her: the toot of a train whistle, the harmony of a fine singing choir, and the jingling sound of sleigh bells. There was the smell of fresh cakes and cookies everywhere along with a minty scent like holiday candy, and all around her she felt a puffy blanket of something quite chilly cushioning her. She knew immediately that she couldn't be in Halloween Town, but could it be…?

At last Star opened one eye slowly… and then the other. In all of her afterlife Star had never seen anything quite like what she saw next.

She was on the outskirts of a little town whose inhabitants looked like little people with bright clothes and rosy cheeks, and much were more alive than Star had ever met in her afterlife. Some played with their pet penguins and reindeer, while others walked through the town with presents piled high in their arms. Lights were shining all around: on buildings, in houses, over the streets, and wrapped around possibly the most beautiful sight yet: a massive Christmas tree in the heart of town. And as if all of this didn't already show it, Star happened to look up at a big sign that she had landed under that read in big red and green letters: CHRISTMAS TOWN.

The wish had come true after all.

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**I noticed that I forgot to add my disclaimers in my author's note, whoops! Jack, Sally, Zero, and all of the original Halloween and Christmas Town citizens are the property of Tim Burton, Skellington Productions, and all of the cast & crew of "The Nightmare Before Christmas". Timothy and Noel Skellington were created by my little sister, so they're technically hers. Star Skellington is my original character, and even though I don't have anything legal to say so, I consider her my character only.**

**Thank you for your reviews and here's the update! These chapters are short, I know, but this story is only about ten pages long so it has to be. **


	3. Chapter 3

**_Star Skellington's Christmas Wish_**

**Chapter 3**

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Awestruck and overjoyed at what she was seeing, Star hypnotically ventured into Christmas Town. She took in everything she saw like a dream that may never come again, staring at all the beauty that she had been starved of in Halloweenland. Little did Star know that a Christmas crowd was beginning to gather behind her staring in amazement at their unusual visitor, for they'd never seen anything that strange, unusual and dead as her before. So this went on, two holidays transfixed in the other and neither truly knowing about it, until Star finally was knocked out of her reverie and caused the Christmas Town people behind her to gasp. She had hit something big, red, and soft that made her to fall backwards into the snow with an: "Oomph."

"Oh my, are you all right?" came the voice of a man who she had smacked into.

The man was standing in front of a streetlight, so Star could only see his shadow. In the light he looked like a big, blood red monster with a ghostly white beard, a toothy smile, and fingers like claws. Star trembled, expecting to be given a good fright, but then the man extended a helping hand for her. Not quite sure if she was right or wrong about this person, Star suspiciously took the hand and was propped up gently, giving her a chance to really see his face.

He was big and red, but in a jolly sort of way; and he did have a beard of white, but it was aged white not ghostly. His horrible smile and claws had been a trick of the light that had made him seem scary, but in reality he had a sweet smile on his face and hands like any other person from Christmas Town. Star, with a shock, recognized the old man and barely had the strength to speak when she mouthed: "You're, you're…S - Sandy Claws."

"_Sandy Claws_?" he asked confused. "I don't - wait a minute. Only one person has ever called me that… are you Jack Skellington's daughter?"

Star couldn't find her words staring at Santa himself, so she simply muttered: "Uh-huh."

"And your name is Star?" Santa asked patiently.

Star nodded in reply.

Santa looked at her puzzled and astonished and then remembered the crowd. "My friends," he said. "It's all right, she won't hurt you. She's only a visitor from far away." Though the crowd was still curious about Star, they eventually parted their ways going on to their own business. When the last person had finally left, Santa spoke to Star again. "Now then Star, are you all alone here?"

Star nodded shyly.

"And your parents don't know that you're here?" Santa asked.

She shook her head.

"Well then I guess we'll have to send you back to Halloween Town as soon as possible." He replied.

"Wait Mr. Sandy Claws!" Star cried out unexpectedly. "Please don't take me back yet, I want to see Christmas Town first. Please!"

"Well… normally I would say no, but it today _is_ Christmas Eve, so the sleigh will be taking off in a few hours anyway." Santa replied thinking. "I suppose you can catch a ride then, and in the meantime you can have a look around town if you would like."

"Yahoooo!" Star yelled leaping in the in air. Then she hugged Santa without realizing it, but quickly let go in fear of being impolite.

Santa chuckled and patted her skull. "That's all right, Star. But now I wonder who should be your tour guide, now let me think, I…" Star stared at Santa sweetly, and he quickly realized what she meant. "Oh no, no, no, no. Not me." Santa replied. "I have far too much to do for tonight than to…"

Then Star made a very sad frown that would make anyone feel sorry for her.

"Oh, all right. I'll take you around town." Santa gave in to Star's delight as she hopped in the air again. "But only for a little while my dear."

And so Star's adventure in Christmas Town had begun. For Star, the day seemed to be a dream come true already, and it could only get better.

**I apologize for the long update wait for this and my other fic: "Monsters United!". The TNBC fansite that I've been posting these on hasn't updated of either of them yet and I wanted to have them posted simulataniously, but I felt that I kept you guys waiting long enough. Thank you all my reviewers, alerts, and subscribers, you guys keep me goin'!^_^**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Star Skellington's Christmas Wish_**

**Chapter 4**

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Back in Halloween Town all was not well. Star's disappearance had made not only her family distressed, but the entire town was as well. Many citizens were exhausted from the effort of searching through the winter storm and begged skeleton Jack for a bit of rest.

"We can't give up now!" Jack ordered the crowd of frustrated citizens. "-And nobody stops searching until she's home again, that's final!"

As the distraught crowd parted from Jack, one creature sat alone and heartbroken: Sally. Her face was buried in her hands as she cried pitifully for her loss. Jack couldn't help but try to comfort his beautiful ragdoll, but truly no words can quell a mother's tears of grief, not even for the most horrid of haunts.

"W, w… what if we can't find her?" she asked Jack in tears.

"Don't talk like that." Jack replied. "I know we will."

"But why would she run away?" Sally sobbed. "We must have made her so angry that she'll never want to c, c, come…" And then she cried again.

"No Sally. It can't be true. There must be another reason why she has vanished."

Sally sniffled, then replied: "You're right Jack. I've…" she paused looking nearby at Tim, Noel and their dog Zero who all looked ready to cry themselves. "- We've got to believe."

"Mama. " Tim interrupted them. "I miss Star, when's she coming back?"

Sally smiled through her sadness, and then scooped up her young son in her arms and tried to reassure him with a whisper of: "Soon, I hope."

If you were to be on the boundaries of Halloween Town that Christmas Eve, you would not see a single light left off, or any creature resting; and all throughout the night you would hear the cries of worry and pain as all of Halloween Town searched for their princess in the bitter cold.

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Star didn't think about what might be happening in Halloween while she was in Christmas Town; she was too busy having the time of her afterlife. Santa showed her nearly everything there was to see, from the reindeer stables, to his workshop, to the town square, and even the ice skating rink. The citizens of Christmas Town were at first rather afraid of the Halloween girl, but they all became obliged to meet her once she told her story and explained anything she wanted to know about their home. After a long day of making new friends, Star and Santa took a break for a bite to eat and a cup of cocoa. As she snacked, Star was busy thinking over everything she'd experienced. She had never felt so appreciated in her afterlife than she had in Christmas Town. It was everything she had ever dreamed of and more, but somewhere deep down she felt empty; like something was missing.

"Are you ready to go home yet Star?" Santa asked interrupting her thoughts.

"Nope." Star answered with a smile then swallowed some of her cocoa. "I love it, I want to stay here forever!"

"Hmmm… you mean you don't miss your friends and family back home?" Santa asked curiously.

"Well… I guess I miss Mama and Papa, and Tim and Noel, and Zero too." Star replied. "But Christmas is so pretty, I wish I didn't have to leave it."

"Ah, but you never will Star." Santa said. "Christmas stays in our hearts, and so it will never leave you because you'll always carry it there."

"I guess…" Star answered still sad from having to leave so soon.

"Well, since it has been decided and since it's getting late, we should get flying now." Santa said finishing his snack. "Are you ready to go?"

Star nodded and followed Ol' Saint Nick back to the town square where the sleigh and nearly all the Christmas Town citizens were waiting for the big flight, but something was very wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

**Star Skellington's Christmas Wish**

**Chapter 5**

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Elves ran about frantically, screaming: "Christmas is all over!" Santa's sleigh sat slumped in the snow while the reindeer pulled at their harnesses to get it to move, but it didn't even budge. Star thought that it looked rather run down for Santa's sleigh with paint chipped off, its runners turned sideways, and it was so small to carry such a great load of presents.

"What's going on here?" asked Santa.

"It's the sleigh sir." An elf in a green suit replied. "The runners are frozen into the ice. And that's not all; it got damaged in yesterday's test flight. Nobody knows what to do, it's bad!"

Santa stepped slowly over and took a good look at the sleigh before shutting his oldeyes. He looked ready to cry when he said: "Indeed, it is bad. I fear the worst."

"You don't mean?" The elf asked and soon everybody else looked at Santa too.

"Christmas will have to be cancelled for this year." Santa finished.

All the elves cried gasped, the reindeer grunted, and Star whispered: "No!"

"There's nothing I can do." Said Santa. "The sleigh is so far under the ice. And look at it; even if we could get off the ground, it would fall apart in the air."

"But children all over the world are waiting for their presents!" An elf shouted.

"There are hardly any naughty children this year, too bad…" another elf muttered.

"Let's not forget Star. If she doesn't get a ride, she can't go home!" Said someone else.

Several characters in the crowd looked at Star with a sad expression, hoping that she wasn't upset. They did not know that she still wanted to stay in Christmas Town, but not when it was like this. Christmas was the day when Star was most happy, and she wanted all the children in the world to feel the same when they opened their gifts under the tree on Christmas morning like she always did with her family back home. Christmas was the one day of the year when even a creature as ghastly as she was could feel the warmth of being around those who cared for her. It was then Star noticed that her face was warm and wet from the ghostly silver tears thatbled from her eyes like a sparkling river. She wouldn't have a merry Christmas without her family, no matter how perfect Christmas Town was.

"_What would Papa say?" _Star thought, racking her brain for a solution, then brightened when an idea popped in her skull. "Maybe Santa can't do it alone," she said quietly. "- But what if we all worked on the sleigh together?"

Santa scratched his head thinking it over. "It would still be nearly impossible… " He said with all Christmas Town eyes on his face. "-But maybe... just maybe, it could work. That is, if everybody agrees to help."

With that the elves straightened their backs and the reindeer snorted deeply. "We'll do whatever it takes, sir." The green elf answered determined.

"Well then, everyone get into two teams. One team will work on the rudders, the other on repairs." The crowd cheered before he added: "One more thing, if Star tells you to do anything you'll do it! She's the mastermind in this."

Star smiled a bony smile and shouted: "Let's go, for Christmas!"

"For Christmas!" everyone echoed.

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**I apologize for the long update wait. What can I say, things get crazy at this time of the year and I've got a BIG fanfiction I'm working on writing. I will finish posting this story before Christmas, that I promise, but I would still appreciate any and all reviews from you readers. By the way, if you notice any revisions in the earlier chapters, don't be surprised. I'm doing my proofreading and chapter replacements, so there may be subtile changes to previous chapters.**


	6. Chapter 6

**_Star Skellington's Christmas Wish_**

**Chapter 6**

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Everyone worked and worked trying to make the sleigh flying fit again. The elves insistantly hammered at the ice on the runners and melted some of it away with the glow of their Christmas lights and the warmth from burning their Yule logs. Star worked on repairing the sleigh and helped the reindeer in preparing for take off by readjusting their harnesses and giving them all a little snack for energy, all the while encouraging the citizens to do their best. Once the repairs seemed mostly finished, Santa climbed into the sleigh and Star followed. Everybody quieted down to listen to what he had to say.

"No matter what happens, I thank you all for your work. If the reindeer can pull the sleigh out of the ice we may have Christmas after all." Santa said before calling to his team: "Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, it's time!"

The deer pawed at the ground and pulled as hard as they could in their harnesses. The sleigh stuck fast, but they wouldn't give up without a fight. All the Christmas Town creatures cheered for them to keep pulling, but nothing seemed to change. Then, a tiny cracking sound like that of a hatching egg came, and the elves felt a rumbling beneath their toes. With a shatter of ice and snow the runners broke through and littered the place with ice sparkles so pretty that they reflected the starlight above. It was no time for celebratting however, as the reindeer started to gallop, preparing to take off into the air with a group bound. Star couldn't see what was going on very well, only the reindeer running as fast as they could in front of her and the sleigh bobbing up and down in the snow. She put her bony hands over her eyes… Then something peculiar happened. Star could no longer feel the sleigh rumbling beneath her or hear the reindeers' hooves beating against the ice, but felt the chilly wind whipping in her ragged hair. She opened her eyes and saw twinkling stars all around her, then she looked down below at the Christmas Town and everyone in town square cheering and leaping about before she cried out: "We're flying!"

Santa laughed and the reindeer tugged a little harder on the reins. "Yes indeed, Star." Said Santa. "We are flying, thanks to you."

"But Santa, everyone helped." She replied modestly.

"Yes, but nobody would have even tried if you hadn't encouraged them." Santa answered. "You saved Christmas, Star. Your mother and father would be proud." Star blushed, her bony face turning as red as her hair before Santa interrupted. "- We're leaving Christmasland now. I hope you're ready to go back home to Halloween."

Star turned around to get a last look at Christmas Town. She would miss it, but she had been part of something bigger than she would have ever dreamed of before she came. She smiled at Santa and said quietly: "Oh, yes."

"Well then, Donner, Blitzen, full speed to Halloween Town!" Santa called to his lead deer before tugging on the reins. The sleigh moved a little faster and Star couldn't get rid of her bony smile as they zoomed past the moon and stars, rocketing through clouds and the sky like something in a dream. And after a long while of watching the sky fly by, Star felt tired and closed her eyes. The sound of jingle bells lulled her into Slumberland, and she knew in her heart that she was headed for home at last.


	7. Chapter 7

**_Star Skellington's Christmas Wish_**

**Chapter Seven**

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Star opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by snow again, and feared that she was still in Christmas Town, but then she noticed some peculiar things. The snow had blanketed not a charming town, but a ghoulish graveyard in a deathly blue tone, and the yellow harvest moon shone brightly against the sky of black with violet wispy clouds like paint on black canvas. A hollow tree with branches like monstrous hands was her shelter from the snowfall as she lay against a tombstone with the letters R.I.P on the top and some gothic scripture as an epitaph. This was Halloween Town, her home.

"Star?" a voice called in the distance. "Star, where are you?"

"Mama?" Star answered quietly then called out louder: "Mama?"

"Star is that you?" came her father's voice closer now.

"Papa!" she replied shouting. "Papa, Mama, I'm here!"

Around Halloween Hill Star's family came running to her voice. Zero barked when he saw her and Jack's long legs carried him as fast as he could to Star's side where she jumped into his bony arms in an embrace. Her mother Sally followed, tears in her big doll eyes as she wrapped her soft arms around Star and held her close. Finally, Tim and Noel greeted her with a hug as well, and Zero licked her face with his ghostly tongue.

"Where have you been my little goblin?" Sally asked once she found the strength to speak.

Star gave her mother a big, bony grin and said "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"What matters anyway, you're home now." Said Jack with a smile. "-And just in time for Christmas!"

Star Skellington was happy. She did not need Christmas Town to have Christmas. Just Santa had said, it had been there in her heart all along. At last, she could share what made her the ghoul that she was inside without feeling alone. She would always have her family to be there for her. None of the Skellingtons paid to noticed the tombstone that sat behind Star, but the epitaph read in these exact words:

NO MATTER WHAT BEAUTY YOU FIND WHEN YOU ROAM,

THERE IS ALWAYS LOVE TO BE FOUND AT HOME

_**The End**_

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